USA > New York > Oneida County > Annals and recollections of Oneida County > Part 43
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On the 21st of March, 1838, a meeting was held at the dwelling of Edward Bright, jr., of which Deacon Asa Shel- don was chosen chairman, and Horace H. Hawley, secretary. Eleven persons (five males and six females) presented letters of dismission from Baptist churches-(seven from the Broad Street and four from the Trenton Village Churches)-all of which were approved as regular. This meeting voted :
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" That we form ourselves into a church by the name of the Bethel (Baptist) Church of Utica." Asa Sheldon and Pal- mer Townsend were chosen deacons, and H. H. Hawley. church clerk, and Messrs. Townsend and Bright were ap- pointed a committee " to prepare a code of Articles of Faith and Practice, and report at the next meeting."
In the first year the church received 125 members, eighty by baptism, forty two by letter, and three by experience. July 26, 1838, the church was recognized as a regular church in fellowship with the Baptist denomination, by a council of delegates from other churches in the vicinity. August 8th, the church and society were incorporated under the statute. and Messrs. Edward Bright, jr., John Reed, Palmer Town- send, Morven M. Jones, Francis Wright, Mancer M. Backus. and Elihu Stone elected trustees. In 1839, the church erect- ed the house of worship on State Street, (dedicated Aug. 7). now owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church, at an expense of over $ 4,000, for a large proportion of which, they were int- debted to the liberality and good will of persons belonging to other societies. Upon the removal of Deacon Townsend to New York, Harlow Hawley was chosen deacon, July 6, 1838. For several years this church was the station of the American Bethel Society, and a committee of its members, during the season of navigation, visited the boats lying in the city on every Lord's day morning, and invited boatmen and passen- gers to attend the meetings. For two or three years it was also aided in its funds by the New York State Baptist Mis- sionary Convention. On the 1st of January, 1845, the church removed to its present house on Bleecker Street, having ta- ken a lease of the former lessees, and in Feb., 1847, the church purchased this house of Mrs. Dudley of Albany. Since then the house has been very much improved and re- paired inside and out, and by the erection of a spire in place
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of the one blown off in the fall of 1834. This house was crected by the Second Presbyterian Church, and dedicated August 24, 1826, and by that body occupied until about 1839, and subsequently it was occupied by a Congregational church under the care of Rev. Messrs. Theodore Spencer and C. Edwards Lester, and afterwards by the Westminster Church. and for a time was unoccupied. The church under notice have enjoyed several revivals, the results of protracted meetings. Since its formation about 378 have been added by baptism, and the largest number of baptisms reported (since its first year), were in 1847, fifty-seven, and 1848. eighty-four. Present number about 350. The venerable Deacon Asa Sheldon, died March 19, 1848, in the 88th year of his age, having been a member of the Baptist Church ser- enty-four years.
In the spring and summer of 1838, Mr. Coroden H. Slaf- ter, a member of the Hamilton Theological Institution, preach- ed to this church, and on the 23d of August he was ordained by this church as a missionary to Siam, where he died April 7, 1841. October 1, 1838, Rev. L. O. Lovell became pastor and resigned his charge January 27, 1840. On the 6th of December, 1839, Mr. Edward Bright, jr. (then of the firm of Bennett & Bright, booksellers and publishers), was licensed by this church to preach the gospel, and on the 17th of April following received a call to become pastor of the church, and was ordained as such on the 3d of June. On the 12th of November, 1841, Rev. Mr. Bright resigned his charge, and on the 14th of the same month Rev. Daniel G. Corey, the present pastor, received a call to the office, and entered upon its duties the first Lord's day in January, 1842. During his pastorate, thus far, he has baptised 236, and 144 have been added by letter.
(The Second Presbyterian Church was organized May 6,
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1824, under the pastoral care of Rev. S. W. Brace, and erected the house of worship, as before stated, on Bleecker Street, in 1826. On the 7th of March, 1831, this church and society were re-organized under the name of the " Bleecker Street Presbyterian Society." After Mr. Brace, Rev. Dirck C. Lansing, D. D., was pastor for several years, and Rev. Mr. Savage was pastor in 1837-8. The church being largely in debt, the house of worship was sold at some time not far from the re-organization, and became the prop- erty of Mrs. Blandina Dudley of Albany, and six individ- uals in the church took a lease of the house for twenty years and became responsible for the rent, etc.)
Grace (Episcopal) Church .- This church was organized in May, 1838. At the time of its institution there were but twenty-six persons in the congregation of a sufficient age to read the services of the church, and a much smaller number of communicants.
First Vestry : Dr. P. B. Peckham and Ziba Lyon, war- dens ; Messrs. Samuel Beardsley, John E. Hinman, J. Wat- son Williams, James M. Stocking, Alex. S. Johnson, Charles S. Wilson, Isaiah Tiffany and James M. Lewis. Rev. Albert Clark Patterson was chosen the first rector. - Soon after its organization, the church took measures for the erection of the small church edifice of wood upon the south- east corner of Broadway and Columbia Street, and in 1842, a considerable addition was made to this building. The church is now preparing to erect one of the most expensive and beautiful church edifices in central New York, one which shall in architectural design and execution, and in the quality of material, be an honor to the city and to the enterprising society by which it is erected. From the period of its organ- ization, this church has always been in a most flourishing
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- condition, with frequent accessions to its members and an increasing congregation. 1
Rev. George Leeds, the present rector, entered upon the duties of his office in 1843.
Number of communicants reported in 1842, 96; in 1846, 132; in 1850, 157.
St. Paul's (Episcopal ) Church .- Rev. Marcus A. Perry, rector, was organized several years since in West Utica, and occupies the building known as " Old Bethel," on Fayette Street. Number of communicants reported in 1850, 18. This church designs soon to ereet a house of worship in the west part of the city.
Calvary (Episcopal) Church .- This is a newly organized church upon " Corn Hill," and is under the care of Rev. Wm. A. Matson. This church is erecting during the present summer (1851) a small church edifice of wood, in that section of the city.
St. Joseph's ( German) Catholic Church .- This church was organized October 15, 1840, and is located upon Fayette Street, at its junction with Whitesboro Street. When formed, the church included about sixty families, and now numbers about 200 families, all natives of the German States, and its services are conducted in the German language. I. N. Lanzer, Joseph Masseth, sen., John Paul, Ignatius Meyers and Matthias Fritz, composed the first committee, having charge of the property. Rev. Joseph Prost became rector in 1842, and remained one year; Rev. Adelpert In- nama became his successor in the summer of 1843, and he was succeeded by Rev. Florian Schwenninger in August, 1844.
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German Lutheran Church .- This church by the name of " The United Evangelical Lutheran and German Reformed Congregation of the City of Utica," was organized on the 15th of May, 1842, at its place of meeting, the " Old Bethel," on Fayette Street, West Utica. It was formed with fifty-six communicants, all natives of Germany, and its services have ever been conducted in the German language. Its first offi- cers were, Charles A. Wolf, sen., and Michael Breitenstein, elders ; and John M. Hahn, Daniel Becker and John G. Hoerlein, trustees. Present officers (1851), Henry Frank- furt, John Seng and George Neeger, elders ; and Daniel Becker, Paul Agne, John Beisiegel, Lewis Martin, John Blaas and John Spindler, jr., trustees. Their first house of worship was erected upon the south side of Columbia Street, upon the castern side of the site of St. Patrick's Church, at a cost of about $2000, and was dedicated September 25. 1844, and, with other buildings, was destroyed by the hand of the incendiary, on the night of the 28th of February, 1851. The church, during the present season, is erecting a commodious house of worship of brick, upon the south-west corner of Cooper and Fay Streets, at an estimated expense of about $4000. The present pastor, Rev. A. Wetzel, has devoted his time and talents to the welfare of this church ever since its formation, and he enjoys, in an eminent degree, the love and respect of the pastors and members of the other evangelical churches in the city, as well as of the citizens generally. During a considerable portion of the time, he has taught a day school for the benefit of the children of the members of his society, and a flourishing Sunday school is connected with the church. Amid the many discourage- ments arising from the loss of the house of worship, the por- erty of most of the German emigrants, and the fact that our German population is gathered from nearly every state in
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the Germanic confederacy, with their peculiar national and local views and prejudices, he has ever labored on zealously, peacefully and successfully, in the humble sphere of his vo- cation, although his talents and acquirements would well grace some of the higher positions in our country. Cherish- ing such views of the pastor, the citizens of Utica have, to a limited extent, contributed to the funds of the church, for building their houses of worship. Present number of con- municants, 165.
Westminster Presbyterian Church .- At the time of the dissolution of the Second Presbyterian Church, it was evi- dent, that there was in the city sufficient material, in a dis- connected state, to form an efficient Presbyterian Church. On the 25th of January, 1839, a Congregational Church was organized, and held its meetings, for a period, in the "Second Church," on Bleecker Street, and for a while in the Museum Building. the Museum having been removed to the "Exchange Building; " but for reasons unknown to the author, this church was dissolved. On the 6th of May, 1844, " The Westminster Presbyterian Society of Utica " became incorporated, at a meeting held in the old " Second Church," which house they occupied the remainder of that year. On the 23d of July, the church was organized with 70 members. On the 1st of January, 1845, the church purchased, and took possession of the house of worship erected by the Universal- ists on Devereux Street, which was subsequently enlarged by an addition to the rear, and otherwise much repaired and beautified. This house was erected in 1829-30. Messrs. Sylvester Aylsworth, Theodore Pomeroy, Silas Gaylord, S. Z. Haven and Hugh Rendell, were chosen elders, upon the formation of the church. Rev. Joshua H. MeIlvane, the first pastor, was installed February 5, 1845, by the Pres-
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bytery of Albany, and resigned his charge October 1, 1847. Rev. Hugh Dickson, the present pastor, entered upon the duties of his office, August 1, 1848 (installed October 31, sermon by Rev. Dr. Sprague, of Albany), and under his min- istry, the church has been highly prosperous, and the congre. gation has increased to such an extent that the house is fre- quently crowded. This church is in connection with the " Old School " General Assembly. Present number of com- municants about 125.
State Street Methodist Church .- The " Bethel " Baptist Church having found it very difficult to sustain a church of that denomination in West Utica, while they were compelled to make up a considerable deficiency at the end of each year. and more of its members residing east of Genesee Street than in the section of their location, decided upon removing to Bleecker Street, about 1st of January, 1845. For a consid- crable part of the next year and a half, their house of wor- ship on State Street, was occupied by an Anti-slavery Baptist Society, under the care of Rev. Mr. Grosvenor. On the 1st of August, 1847, the State Street Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, with seventeen communicants, and soon afterwards purchased this church edifice. The first trustees were, Frederick Humphreys, H. C. Stearns, J. S. Kirk, Wm. Roberts and Mordecai Wing ; and Moses Sipher, H. C. Stearns and Thomas Ward, sen., were first stewards. Rev. Joseph Hartwell was assigned by the Conference to this church, on the 4th of August, 1847, and remained two years, and Rev. Isaac Foster, the present pastor, commenced his labors in August, 1849. Present number of communi- cants about 130.
This church is in a flourishing condition, and under the peculiar organization of the Methodist Church, will, doubt-
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less, continue to prosper. The erection of three extensive manufacturing establishments, and the great increase in other branches of business in West Utica, with the large inerease of population, have rendered this field an excellent one for an additional evangelical church.
Israelites,-" Beth Israel," Jews' Synagogue, was estab- lished on the Ist of October, 1848, and included about twenty families. Its first trustees were Harris A. Hershfield, Max Levy and Eleazer Hart. This association fitted up and oc- cupies the small wooden house of worship, near the corner of Whitesboro and Hotel Streets, and every " seventh day," a considerable number of these descendants of Abraham repair to their " Beth," to worship the God of their fathers, after the manner of the law delivered to Moses. Most of this people in this city are from the German States and Poland, whenee they have fled to this country, to enjoy the right of worshipping God according to their own law, and to escape the exactions of the tyrants who rule their native lands. Rabbi Pinkus Rosentoll leads them in their worship, and they now number about forty families.
Welsh Methodist Episcopal Church .- The Welsh Meth- odist Episcopal Church was formed about the 1st of Septem- ber, 1849, with twenty-seven members, and for the first eight months occupied a room on Liberty Street. Its first officers were, John Perry, Thomas Morris, John H. Jones, William W. Jones, Evan E. Jones, and Thomas Hughes, trustees ; John Perry, steward; and Wm. Davies, secretary. On the 1st of May, 1850, the church purchased the building on Washington Street, known as the "Commercial Lyceum," and have fitted up and since occupied the same as a house of worship. The- Rev. Messrs. Rees Davies and Thomas
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Hughes were preachers of the church until May 1, 1850, and since then Messrs. Davies and Hughes and Rev. John Jones have had the joint charge of the church. Present number of communicants about fifty. The services are conducted in the Welsh language.
There have been, within a few years, two other Welsli churches in the city, one an off-shoot from the Welsh Con- gregational Church, which erected the house now occupied by the Jews, and the other from the Welsh Baptist Church, and held its meetings on the corner of Broadway and Pearl Street. Happily, however, the difficulties in which these churches originated, have been healed, and upon their dissolution, most of their members returned to the old folds, and the two parent churches are progressing in harmony.
St. Patrick's Catholic Church .- This church was organ- ized on St. Patrick's day, March 17, 1850, and is located in West Utica. A temporary church edifice was erected on Columbia, west of Varick Street, for the accommodation of the congregation until their new house shall be completed. The congregation is composed mainly of natives of Ireland. An elegant church is in course of erection, upon the corner of Columbia and Huntington Streets. Its material is brick above the basement, its style of architecture Gothic, and is to cover an area 64 by 120 feet, with a tower and spire 180 feet in heighth. The Rev. Patrick Carraher is pastor, and it is mainly through his exertions that a congregation has been collected, and the funds secured for the erection of the church. The ceremony of laying the corner-stone of this church took place on the evening of July 30, 1851, the Rt. Rev. Dr. McClosky officiating. A box was deposited containing a variety of coins, the names of the excentive of the state and
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city, bishop of the diocese, pastor of the church, and a variety of newspapers, etc.
INSTITUTIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, COMPANIES, ETC., ETC.
New York State Lunatic Asylum .- This institution al- though located partly in Whitestown and partly in New Hartford, is more generally considered in connection with the city of Utica, and the account given seems therefore more appropriately placed in this chapter.
In 1830, acting Governor Throop, in his annual message, called the attention of the Legislature to the number, condi- tion and wants of the insane poor in this State, and sugges- .ted the establishment of an asylum for their " gratuitous care and recovery." He states that by the census of 1825, there were then 819 insane persons in the State, of whom 263 pos- sessed means for their own support, 280 were in jail or sup- ported by charity, and 348 insane paupers were at large, " a terror to others, and suffering in addition to mental derange- ment, all the privations attending penury and want.". In the Assembly this subject was referred to a select committee, who on the 17th of April reported " that the general expedi- ency, and indeed necessity of another Asylum seem manifest from a bare examination of the facts." This brought the subject before the public, and another committee was ap- pointed, of which Hon. A. C. Paige was chairman, and by whom extensive examinations with reference to the insane and lunatic asylums were made, and an elaborate report presented in March, 1831. In each of the years 1832-3-4-5, committees were appointed, who reported in favor of Legis- lative action, upon the subject, but no laws were then enact- ed. In 1834, Gov. Marcy in his message made a powerful
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appeal to the Legislature upon the same subject. In 1830, the Oneida County Medical Society, by its delegate Dr J McCall, brought the subject before the State Society, by whom a memorial was sent to the Legislature ; and also made a di- reet communication to the Legislature by a petition drawn un by Dr. C. B. Coventry.
March 30, 1836, an act was passed for the establishment of the New York State Lunatic Asylum, which authorized the appointment of three commissioners to purchase a site at an expense not exceeding $ 10,000, and also for the appoint- ment of three commissioners to contract for the erection of the Asylum, and appropriated $50,000, for that purpose.
Messrs. N. Dayton, C. Mc Vean and R. Withers, the com- missioners appointed by the government to procure a site, re- ported to the Legislature, in February, 1838, that they had not been able to select and secure one, although they had bar- gained for the necessary grounds at Watervliet, but which the owner had finally refused to sell upon the terms agreed upon. In the summer of 1837, the present site of the Asy- lum was purchased, including a farm of about 130 aeres, for 816,300, of which the state paid $10,000, and citizens of Utica $6,300. In the latter part of the same summer Capt William Clarke of Utica, Francis E. Spinner of Herkimer and Elam Lynds were appointed commissioners to superin- tend the erection of the necessary buildings. After visiting various institutions of the kind, the plans drawn by Captain Clarke, after being submitted to most of the state officers and the legislative committee, were adopted, the four main buildings commenced, and at the close of 1838, 846,881,79 of the appropriation expended. That plan " consisted of four buildings, the size of the present front building, cach 550 feet long, to be located at right angles, facing outward, and to be connected at the angles by verandahs of open lattice
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work, the whole inclosing an octagonal area, of above thirteen acres, not including above two and a half acres covered by the buildings. The estimated expense if built of brick, was $131,636, but no estimate of the expense of hammered stone of which the main building was finally constructed was then given." In May, 1839, $75,000, were appropriated towards completing " the main building occupying the principal front, and for protecting the foundations then laid of the other buil- dings, and in 1840, $75,000, and in 1841, 875,000, were ap- propriated by the Legislature for completing the main edifice, making $285,000, including the $10.000 for purchase of site. On the 6th of January, 1842, the commissioners reported that nothing remained to be done to put the institution in op- eration, but the laws necessary for its organization, and an appropriation for furnishing the building. During the erec- tion of the building, Messrs. Lynds and Spinner had been removed, and Messrs. W. H. Shearman and Anson Dart ap- pointed, and subsequently Messrs. Clarke and Dart were re- placed by Messrs. James Platt and Theodore S. Faxton.
In May, 1841, Messrs. David Russell, W. H. Shearman, N. Devereux, Dr. C. B. Coventry and T. S. Faxton, were by act of Legislature, appointed trustees of the Asylum, and were required to report a system for the government, disci. pline and management of the institution, and regulations for admission of patients. They, by a committee, visited four- teen of the twenty similar institutions in the United States, and January 12, 1842, reported a system which was mainly adopted. April 7, 1842, an act to organize the Asylum was passed, and by which Nicholas Devereux, Jacob Sutherland, Charles A. Mann, Alfred Munson, Charles B. Coventry, Abraham V. Williams, Thomas H. Hubbard, T. Romeyn Beck and David Buel were appointed managers. By this act 326.000, were granted for purchasing furniture, fixtures,
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stock, books, food, fuel, medicines and enclosing and impro- ving the grounds-and in 1843, $16,000 were appropriated for a drain extending to the river, supplying the building with water and various improvements to the building, etc.
The managers organized as a board in April, 1842, and on the 9th of September following, appointed Dr. Amariah Brigham, superintendent ; H. A. Buttolph, M. D., assistant physician ; E. A. Wetmore, Esq., treasurer ; Cyrus Chat- field, steward, and Mrs. Chatfield, matron. On the 16th of January, 1843, the asylum was opened for the reception of patients, and during the first year 276 were admitted.
It was soon discovered that the building erected would soon be entirely inadequate for the wants of the insane poor of the state, and accordingly in 1844, the managers submitted to the Legislature a plan for enlarging the Asylum, advising the abandonment of the original plan of four buildings, and the erection instead of two wings of brick at right-angles with the main building, each 240 feet long and thirty-eight feet wide, at an estimated expense of $80.000. For this purpose $60,000, were granted by the legislature in 1844, besides $4,000 for the purchase of grounds adjoining and in front of the Asylum, making the entire farm and grounds 133 acres, and for additional furniture and fencing; and in 1836, $17,000 were appropriated for completing the wings, $15,000 for furniture, furnaces, fixtures, etc., $5,000 for bringing a supply of water into the buildings, and $3,000 for various other purposes. The water is supplied at the rate of about thirty gallons per minute, is forced by pumps, propelled by water about half a mile and raised 95 feet into a reservoir in the attic of the rear building, from whence it is distributed to every part of the establishment.
Since this institution went into operation it has fully an- Ewered the expectations of the public, and earned for itself an
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honorable rank among institutions of the kind in the United States-and so long as it holds its present position it will be an object of special interest to all who feel a kind wish or possess the least sympathy for the most unfortunate of their fellows. From her liberal benefactions, although none too much so, when the number and claims of the insane within hier limits are considered, the Empire State had a right to ex- pect something worthy of her position in population, enter- prise and wealth. The managers of the Asylum have been men of liberal and enlarged views, and their measures and policy have been humane, energetic and discreet. The former and present superintendent, upon whom the management, care and responsibility of this great institution mainly rest, have been men eminent in their profession, and their annual reports show the great success which has resulted from their wisdom and skill.
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